Portable electronic devices such as laptop computers, personal digital assistants, and portable DVD players and the like have become increasingly common and popular. One reason for the success of such devices is the advance in the technology of low power, lightweight and inexpensive flat-panel displays. Future devices such as third generation mobile phones will require similar displays.
One of the major factors behind the advances in flat-panel display technology has been the replacement of slower electronic components fabricated from amorphous silicon with faster components made from polysilicon. The fabrication of polysilicon and devices constructed therefrom has become an important issue.